Quilt Of Tears
Agent Orange has been interwoven into the fabric of the lives of many Vietnam Veterans and their families
To tell their story, the" Quilts of Tears" project was created
It is to show the world the suffering and pain that the Agent Orange Victims and and their families have endured
Each block in the "Quilts of Tears" reflect their struggles with life and death issues of Agent Orange
Agent Orange has left invisible scars on the hearts and minds of these victims and their families
I Have Recently Heard These Words Said About Vietnam Veterans
"All Gave Some But Some Gave All"
Such is the case of the thousands of who have already lost their lives to the great tragedy Agent Orange
They were killed in Vietnam and didn't know it
They were killed by the silent and invisible bullet, Agent Orange
Their names do not appear on the black granite Wall in Washington.D.C.
The "Quilts of Tears" are their Wall
The "Quilts of Tears" was founded by Jennie R Le Fevre of Shady Side, Md, Founder and President of the Agent Orange Victims and Widows Support Network
The quilts are a Tribute, Memorial and Honor to the Vietnam Agent Orange Victims, both living and dead
Each block represents a victim, and they show the victim's unit in Nam, years served in Nam and the nature of the victim's health problems relating to Agent Orange
At present, there are ten quilts, each measuring 80 by 100 inches, each quilt contains 20 blocks
At displays, the quilts are hung on walls on spread on the ground with walking space between each one to allow viewing from any angle
"The Quilt of Tears" project is mentioned throughout the internet on many of the Vietnam Veterans web sites and e-mail forums, and indeed the "Quilts of Tears" has a website of it's own as well
Mothers, sisters, and other family members have adorned the blocks with their loved's ones picture, unit patches, military emblems, medals, awards etc. etc.
The quilts were displayed for the first time on the Mall in Washington D.C. several years ago
They have since traveled to a quilt show in N.J., several Vietnam Veteran's Reunions in St. Louis, Mo., and were also displayed at the Vietnam Veteran Reunion in Kokomo, In
They were on display a year ago Veterans Day in the rotunda of the Utah State Capitol
The quilts are called the "Quilts of Tears" because many tears have been shed for these victims
"The Quilts of Tears" already have letters of acknowledgment and endorsement from both the Agent Orange Coordinating Council and Vietnam Veterans of America Inc. headquarters in Washington.DC
I am an Agent Orange widow myself, my late husband, a veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam War, died with cancer in ten parts of his body
Unfortunately, the VA states the cancer he had was not related to his exposure to Agent Orange; so I am not compensated
I believe Agent Orange did cause his death
I am a member of the Agent Orange Coordinating Council, chaired by the late Admiral Zumwalt and have been on the Council for seven years
I made a block for Admiral's son with the words inscribed "A Great Warrior Son" which Admiral Zumwalt requested to be put on his son's block
The block is now a part of "The Quilts of Tears"
"The Quilts of Tears" are the Wall for the Agent Orange Victims
Their stories need to be mentioned for all of the suffering and pain they have endured in love and honor for their country
The quilts do just that
One has only to look at the quilts to see for themselves what has happened to these victims
After the display in Kokomo, I received a letter from a veteran who stated the quilts were the most moving piece of art he had seen since the Wall in Washington, D.C.
A veteran with Agent Orange problems saw them displayed in Washington
He said he had no one to make a block for him
I told him that I would do it for him
Later he sent me his Purple Heart to put on the block
One of his prized possessions, he insists that it be placed on his block
These quilts are very dear to the hearts of the Vietnam Veterans, the Agent Orange Victims and their families
Over Memorial Day weekend last year, a big burly veteran looked at the quilts beside the Reflecting pool, walked a short distance away, fell to his knees and burst into tears
When I went to him and hugged him, he asked "Am I next?"
Recently I was at an Agent Orange meeting and another Agent Orange widow took a pin off her blouse and put it on my sweater
The pin was a black heart edged in gold, a jagged streak was across the heart to represent a broken heart and in the center of the heart was an orange teardrop
Yes, our hearts are broken for the Agent Orange Victims
The late Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Jr. was a real friend and advocate for the Agent Orange Victims and their families
May his memory and devotion to the Agent Orange issue live on in our hearts forever
Those Of Us Who Are A Part Of The Agent Orange Struggle Say
"We Will Never Allow The Agent Orange Victims To Be Forgotten"
Most Sincerely
Jennie R. Le Fevre
Agent Orange Widow
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